Neeley to prison for up to 25 years

COLDWATER — Michael Neeley will serve six years, four months to 25 years in prison for stealing his grandmother’s jewelry in January 2012.

The 34-year-old Bronson area man rejected a plea bargain that would have limited his prison time to just 27 months to four years and chose to go to trial.

In February a jury found him guilty of second degree home invasion, but because of prior convictions he could have been sentenced to up to life behind bars.

Branch County Circuit Judge Bill O’Grady questioned why Neeley went to trial when he confessed to the crime. Defense attorney J.R. Colbeck explained Neeley had "free access" to the Gilead township home and did not want to admit he entered illegally.

In the one-day trial, a Branch County Circuit Court jury did not believe that argument or an error in a pawn shop receipt were enough reasonable doubt to acquit Neeley of stealing his grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s wedding rings among other jewelry.

All the stolen items were pawned and melted down for gold.

Branch County Prosecutor Ralph Kimble said he was not vindictive against Neeley for refusing the plea offer. Kimble did say Neeley did not take responsibility for his acts even after trial. The prosecutor listened to a recorded jail call to his family where Neeley called the conviction "bull s--t."

O’Grady told Neeley, "You have been a thief since 1995; almost 20 years."

Neeley said a drug problem was his weakness.

Kimble called it "extreme drug addiction" to cause a person "to steal from those who trusted him."

At trial, victim Edna Wheaton said Neeley, her step-grandson, called her the day after her jewelry went missing crying and saying he was sorry.

"He said he wasn’t himself," she testified.

Wheaton told probation officials she had forgiven Neeley for taking the irreplaceable heirlooms.

When he is released from prison, Neeley is also facing charges in Indiana for failure to pay child support.